Suchergebnisse

Households' source of water is one of the core development indicators recently gaining prominence in Nigeria. This study examined rural households' sources of water and its Willingness to Pay (WTP). A cross sectional survey involving the use of questionnaire was adopted while a dichotomous choice (DC) with follow up was used as elicitation method. A multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select 437 rural households. Descriptive statistics and Tobit model was used as analytical tool for the study. Results from this study revealed that almost 70% fetched from unimproved water sources. Only 74.4% of the respondents showed WTP for improved water sources. Age(p<0.01), Sex (p<0.01), Education (p<0.01), Occupation(p<0.01), Income (p<0.01), Price of water(P<0.01), Quantity of water (p<0.01), Household size(p<0.01) and Distance(p<0.01) to existing water sources significantly influenced rural households' WTP for these services. Therefore, good water sources should be cited nearer to rural community at a relatively low price by rural households.

This study estimated the economic cost of malaria and determined production and malaria related factors affecting farm revenue. A multi-stage random sampling method was used to select one hundred and twenty eight arable crop farming households from whom data were collected for the study. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics, arithmetic indices, t-test of difference of two means and Ordinary Least square (OLS) regression method. The results revealed that an average household had nine members. About 6.5% of sampled households sought health care in the government hospitals, while 30.5 and 20% of the sampled households patronised patent medicines stores and traditional carers respectively. The sum of N7,415.41k was incurred as economic cost of malaria per household per annum in the study area. Farm size, hired labour, combined malaria treatment costs and days lost to malaria attack were significant factors affecting Farm Revenue. The study recommended priority attention to rural areas in malaria control programme; improvement in health care delivery system and incorporation of traditional medical practitioners in the health care system.

Beniseed has been recognized as a crop with high economic potential in Nigeria, both as source of raw materials for industries and reliable foreign exchange earner. The study assessed resource-use efficiency in beniseed production in Obi and Doma Local Government Areas of Nassarawa state during 2004/2005 farming season. Data were collected through multi-stage sampling procedure from 200 respondents. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and stochastic production frontier analysis. The technical efficiency index estimated for beniseed farmers was 0.59 which indicated inefficiency in current production practices. The efficiency indices for allocative and overall economic efficiencies were estimated to be 0.41 and 0.24 respectively. The findings showed that farm size, tractor service and hired labour significantly influenced technical efficiency (p< 0.01). The socio-economic factors associated with higher technical efficiency of the farmers included age, access to credit and fertilizer use (p< 0.10); frequency of extension visit (p< 0.10) significantly influenced allocative efficiency while overall economic efficiency was significantly (p< 0.01) influenced by use of fertilizer, selling price and access to credit (p< 0.10). The study concluded that high level of inefficiency exists under the present production practices and therefore recommends that resources such as fertilizer, tractor services and that credit should be made available to farmers for improved beniseed production.